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Halflings
Circa 730 T.E. Culture Halfling culture is a bit of an oddity in and of itself. Halflings were still nomads when all of the other races had built for themselves civilizations. It is only through time and necessity that Halfling lands were established at all, and many Halflings still see fit to simply wander the lands of other races. As they have no centralized power or leader, there are few things that connect Halflings aside from ideals. Even in the days before Halflings had their own lands they still congregated in small communities tucked neatly into the cities of other societies. It’s worth noting that these communities are still inhabited by Halflings, though one will seldom see new communities pop up within other nations. Halfling lands are considered lawless lands, though one knows if you offend the Halflings of the land you will find yourself punished accordingly by them. As such controlled substances and goods are typically carted through islands dominated by Halflings with little trouble, though slave trades are strictly unwelcome in Halfling lands, as it violates their sense of freedom for all. It’s also worth noting that Halflings tend to be collectors. Collecting things is a famous pass-time for Halflings, anything from books to pressed flowers to the hides of wild beasts. Wealthy Halflings will pay quite a bit of gold to complete a collection they have. Physical Description Halflings typically stand around 3 feet tall and weigh between 30 and 35 pounds. Halflings from Wanderia typically have pale skin, white hair, and eyes of a rusty color. Halflings from regions such as Balderdash will have rosier complexions and darker hair. Most refer to Halflings from Wanderia as ‘Frostlings’ to differentiate them in conversation. Halfling males have long sideburns but rarely beards. Unlike many of the other races Halflings prefer comfort in their clothing to actual shows of wealth. This may be due to the fact that there are few positions of status in Halfling culture. A Halfling can live to be about 250 years of age, and they tend to mature into adulthood in their early twenties. Relations Historically, Halflings try to be friendly with just about everyone. However upon the dawn of Elven slavery they found themselves harping against the Dwarves and Gnomes, once good friends to the Halflings, now seen as oppressive brutes restricting the rights of another race. It is a nearly universal thought among Halflings that slavery is deplorable, especially among the dominant races. Some think keeping even monsters as slaves is a despicable act. However, only the most ardent extremist would rally against the ownership of things like pets. The Elves, for this reason, are on incredibly good terms with the Halflings. Alignment There is no doubt that Halflings are by and large chaotic creatures. Even so they have a tendency towards good. Halflings are usually anarchists, though they would be hard pressed to force ideas of anarchy onto other society despite how uncomfortable laws and rules may make them. Typical Member of the Six Halflings worship no particular member of the six. They are not the most religious people, though some Frostlings in Wanderia may take up worship of the Wanderer. Others may find themselves worshipping Phat Dragon for the joys of life he promises, and others still may find themselves following the Night Finger in their journey to become a king of thieves. But ultimately, most Halflings are non-religious. Notable Regions of Dominance Mass Halfling Populations (80-100%): Various Islands throughout Terrene (i.e. Keito , Hetsu , Orichutsu, etc.) High Halfling Populations (60-79%): Bay of White Light, various other areas in Wanderia Language Halflings speak their own language which borrows the Common script for writing purposes. They write very little in their own language, so unlike Dwarves, Gnomes, and Humans they do not have a rich body of written work amongst them, making them a hard group to track historically (as if their anarchistic culture didn’t make them hard enough to understand.) Halflings do have a strong oral tradition, though. While Halfling language isn’t a secret, they are not likely to share it with others. Some raised in Halfling society will know their language (to give a famous example, Boddynock, creator of the Third Era calendar system) though they will be just as unlikely to teach it, given that they know other Halflings would not want that. Almost all Halflings know Common on top of their own language, given that they must use it to deal with the other races on occasion at the very least. Halflings nowadays tend to learn Elvish as a way to communicate with the downtrodden and enslaved Elves in secret. They also sometimes learn Dwarvish, Gnomish, Goblin, and Orcish. Names Halflings have a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname. It would seem that family names are simply nicknames that stuck so well they were passed down for the generations to bear. Male Names: Alton, Beau, Cade, Eli, Garret, Lyle, Milo, Osborn, Remi, Wellby. Female Names: Amaryllis, Charmaine, Cora, Euphemia, Jillian, Lavinia, Merla, Seraphina, Verna. Family Names: Barrelhop, Bunmaker, Greenbottle, Heartstone, Hilltopple, Leagallow, Tealeaf, Thornhaven, Trustkeeper, Zealgiver. Livelihoods Halflings have an insatiable wanderlust, and as such have a tendency to leave their homes to become adventurers and travelers. This makes them quite capable as guides through dangerous territory after a few years of experience travelling. Halflings also find that they are incredibly skilled in terms of thievery, and will receive no experience penalty for dual-classing as a rogue. It is because of this same wanderlust and yearning for adventure that when Halflings settle down to mate with another they become inseparable and loyal. If a Halfling is willing to settle down for another, he or she is giving their entirety to their mate and will do so until the bitter end.